When I set up the Lexicon Game referenced in
this thread I also put together a list of a few sources. I figured I would throw them up here in the hope that others might be willing to share their favorites as well:
Weird War II Suggested Reading (work in progress)-
Comic Books and Graphic Novels:
Mike Mignola and others, Hellboy and related titles, Dark Horse Comics, 1994 to present:
The BPRD: 1946 and Lobster Johnson are around the correct period as are the backstories for several of the titles. The feel for the villains and the occultism seems close to what we are shooting for.
Various Authors, Weird War Tales, DC Comics/Vertigo Imprint, 1997 to present:
Some of these deal with WWII and have a feel that works for me. I haven't read all of them and don't care for every one I have read.
Books:
Alan Furst, Various Titles, Random House, 1988 to Present:
Night Soldiers and The Foreign Correspondent do a good job of capturing the paranoia and pessimism of the immediate pre-war years. Furst prefers European, rather than British and American, protagonists and provides some good ideas for possible character types.
Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity, NYU Press, 2001:
The real world beliefs of Neo-Nazi crackpots provide the best possible source for forays into the evil occult Nazi trope, excepting-
Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and Their Influence on Nazi Ideology, NYU Press, 1993:
...which features the beliefs of real evil occult Nazi crackpots. Both of these are well researched scholarly works. If you want a credible treatment of what the occult element within Nazism really believed these are the books to check out.
Jack Higgins, The Eagle Has Landed and The Eagle Has Flown, Berkely and Chapmans, 1975 and 1991:
These fast paced thrillers are reasonably well written and feature some interesting characters. The first features a commando raid aimed at killing Churchill. These are both good sources if you are looking to explore concepts for German characters who are not evil Nazis. Some of Higgins more contemporary thrillers feature German antagonists and include flashback sequences set during the war. The film for the first book features Donald Sutherland as a superb Liam Devlin.
E.M. Nathanson, Dirty Dozen, Dirty Distant War, and Knight's Cross, Dell and Berkeley, 1965 to 1990:
Well written and plotted special operations adventure stories. The main character in the first two is based on Aaron Bank who among other things was tasked to kill Hitler and would go on to be one of the founders of the Green Berets. These thrillers are fairly well researched and read true to life.
Films:
Where Eagles Dare, MGM, 1976:
This fine action film features Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton as the key members of a team making a covert commando assault on an alpine castle. It has some great action scenes and holds the distinction of being the film in which a Clint Eastwood character chalks up the highest body count.
Games:
Brian J. Underhill w/ Kenneth Hite, ed., GURPS WWII: Weird War II, Steve Jackson Games, 2000(?):
The primary GURPS source for the genre. The book systematically deals with WWII alternate history, conspiracy theory, secret magic, weird science, monsters, and super powers. It is the essential source for the sort of thing we are trying to accomplish.
Kenneth Hite, GURPS Cabal, Steve Jackson Games, 2000(?):
One of my concepts for the setting is to essentially run Cabal, but without the Cabal. Several of the lodges make an appearance on my suggested topic list.
C.J. Carella, GURPS Voodoo: The Shadow War, Steve Jackson Games, 1995(?):
This book includes some interesting conspiratorial and secret magic groups. It also has some ideas on using 'realistic' secret magic in a modern horror setting.
Edward M. Kann, Rocketship Empires 1936, STORYArt Games, 2007
This game does a masterful job of combining 1930s pulp action with a space setting. The artwork is pretty good and the overall concept is excellent, as is the nice retro-tech feel. Highly recommended.